Post by Dork Administrator on Feb 8, 2002 7:02:40 GMT -5
Where were you in 1985? Think back. In 1985, I was living at home, about 15 miles south-east of Philadelphia, and about 3/4 of a mile from where I live today. 1985 was marked by one of the most stupendous musical events of the 80's, Live Aid. And half of Live Aid, the US half, was performed at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia. My cousin went to the concert. I stayed home and videotaped the thing on MTV.
What was Live Aid all about? It was all about starving people in Ethiopia. Drought, Famine, and political unrest in Ethiopia caused Sally Struthers to venture her fat ass to Africa and televise a bunch of starving and bloated Ethiopian children. Musicians and other celebrities had a cause to rally around. Band Aid was formed in England (Remember "Feed The World (Do They Know It's Christmas)?") and here in the States, USA for Africa was the cause du jour. The radio played "We Are The World" day and night. Millions of people bought the single, which in the early 1980's came on a 45 record. Remember those? But I digress...
Bob Geldoff, then only known in small circles as the lead singer of the Boomtown Rats, and also as the main star in Pink Floyd's The Wall, wanted to organize a huge show in which all the proceeds go to Ethiopian relief. So he decided to hold a single concert with about a hundred bands, and the concert was to be held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in England, and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia. It was a satelite simulcast technological wonder that today is ordinary but in 1985 was nearly impossible. A lot of effort went into it, displaying Geldoff's vision and the dedication of him and everyone involved.
The concert began at 7:00 AM Philadelphia time. We had a party at my parents' house. I dutifully recorded every second of the event, which lasted until 11:00 PM - a whopping 16 hours! It culminated with all the bands coming out onto the stage and singing "We are the world." Not a dry eye in the house. Phil Collins actually performed at both venues that day, considered by some to be a feat of great import. I just thought he was spotlight stealing. Regardless, the event raised a ton of money to go for relief efforts, not only ticket sales, but the event also had a telethon feel to it as MTV personalities and celebrities asked for donations from the viewing audience. All in all it was an excellent feel-good event.
So what happened in the years following? African relief is still much needed, but the celebrities involved in Live Aid have obviously moved on to bigger and better things, like making money for themselves. U2 was one of the foremost bands in the Live Aid venture.
A few weeks after Live Aid, it was found that the funds raised by Live Aid were misappropriated, and most of the relief effort went to waste. The food that was sent with funds raised was mostly confiscated by the corrupt Ethiopian government, and all the love and hope that people sank into the event was lost. It was a huge disaster.
Today, both JFK and Wembley are gone. So is the African sentiment. Today, those same people are making the effort to show their patriotic colors, even if they are not from the US. We're all in it together, seems to be the rally cry of this new movement. Bands and celebrities held a multi-station concert on TV to raise money for the September 11 relief fund, an ambiguous entity that no one thinks to question. U2 played at the Super Bowl while the names of those killed on September 11 scrolled by on a huge backdrop. This is the new cause du jour. You see it on the streets, flags propped in every car window, bumper stickers loudly proclaiming the utmost in Americanism. America has taken on another "Love it or leave it" feel that hasn't been experienced since the end of the Cold War. The feeling today is to be patriotic or go to hell. What's unfortunate about this is it feels the same now as in 1985 when every living person in this country was so gung ho to help starving Africans. That sentiment is gone today. Where will this sentiment be in fifteen years? Where will it be in only a few years? Will the stadiums of our patriotism be torn asunder and forgotten, or will this surge of nationalism be a wave of promise for tomorrow?
I believe it will be the former. This patriotism feels fake, it's a fad, a passing fancy. And I believe that we'll see it fade away the same as every other cause du jour. It's fashionably chic to be so involved. It doesn't matter what you're involved in as long as it's something. And this something will disappear into obscurity just like Live Aid did, and in fifteen years it will only be a "remember when" type of memory.
What was Live Aid all about? It was all about starving people in Ethiopia. Drought, Famine, and political unrest in Ethiopia caused Sally Struthers to venture her fat ass to Africa and televise a bunch of starving and bloated Ethiopian children. Musicians and other celebrities had a cause to rally around. Band Aid was formed in England (Remember "Feed The World (Do They Know It's Christmas)?") and here in the States, USA for Africa was the cause du jour. The radio played "We Are The World" day and night. Millions of people bought the single, which in the early 1980's came on a 45 record. Remember those? But I digress...
Bob Geldoff, then only known in small circles as the lead singer of the Boomtown Rats, and also as the main star in Pink Floyd's The Wall, wanted to organize a huge show in which all the proceeds go to Ethiopian relief. So he decided to hold a single concert with about a hundred bands, and the concert was to be held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in England, and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia. It was a satelite simulcast technological wonder that today is ordinary but in 1985 was nearly impossible. A lot of effort went into it, displaying Geldoff's vision and the dedication of him and everyone involved.
The concert began at 7:00 AM Philadelphia time. We had a party at my parents' house. I dutifully recorded every second of the event, which lasted until 11:00 PM - a whopping 16 hours! It culminated with all the bands coming out onto the stage and singing "We are the world." Not a dry eye in the house. Phil Collins actually performed at both venues that day, considered by some to be a feat of great import. I just thought he was spotlight stealing. Regardless, the event raised a ton of money to go for relief efforts, not only ticket sales, but the event also had a telethon feel to it as MTV personalities and celebrities asked for donations from the viewing audience. All in all it was an excellent feel-good event.
So what happened in the years following? African relief is still much needed, but the celebrities involved in Live Aid have obviously moved on to bigger and better things, like making money for themselves. U2 was one of the foremost bands in the Live Aid venture.
A few weeks after Live Aid, it was found that the funds raised by Live Aid were misappropriated, and most of the relief effort went to waste. The food that was sent with funds raised was mostly confiscated by the corrupt Ethiopian government, and all the love and hope that people sank into the event was lost. It was a huge disaster.
Today, both JFK and Wembley are gone. So is the African sentiment. Today, those same people are making the effort to show their patriotic colors, even if they are not from the US. We're all in it together, seems to be the rally cry of this new movement. Bands and celebrities held a multi-station concert on TV to raise money for the September 11 relief fund, an ambiguous entity that no one thinks to question. U2 played at the Super Bowl while the names of those killed on September 11 scrolled by on a huge backdrop. This is the new cause du jour. You see it on the streets, flags propped in every car window, bumper stickers loudly proclaiming the utmost in Americanism. America has taken on another "Love it or leave it" feel that hasn't been experienced since the end of the Cold War. The feeling today is to be patriotic or go to hell. What's unfortunate about this is it feels the same now as in 1985 when every living person in this country was so gung ho to help starving Africans. That sentiment is gone today. Where will this sentiment be in fifteen years? Where will it be in only a few years? Will the stadiums of our patriotism be torn asunder and forgotten, or will this surge of nationalism be a wave of promise for tomorrow?
I believe it will be the former. This patriotism feels fake, it's a fad, a passing fancy. And I believe that we'll see it fade away the same as every other cause du jour. It's fashionably chic to be so involved. It doesn't matter what you're involved in as long as it's something. And this something will disappear into obscurity just like Live Aid did, and in fifteen years it will only be a "remember when" type of memory.